20th Annual Volunteers in Medicine Soup Challenge winners

Wednesday

Jan 25, 2012 at 12:25 AM

For Bluffton Today

Sunday's 20th Annual Volunteers in Medicine Soup Challenge event, held for the first time at Hilton Head Island's Westin Resort & Spa, drew crowds of soup lovers in search of good soup from some of the area's finest chefs and establishments.

For the price of a $15 ticket, ticketholders could eat all the soup they cared to eat and a chance to vote for their favorite soup in the "People's Choice" soup award, this year won by soup challenge returnee Chef Joseph Sullivan for his sumptuous "Chicken Portobello with Pesto Soup, which also won the" Volunteer's Choice " soup award.

Sullivan, who is the owner of Mulberry Street Trattoria and the newly opened The Marketplace at Mulberry Street (both located adjacent to Tanger Two Outlet Center, Bluffton), was assisted in the competition by son, Christopher. In the judged soup category, Chef Ken Ballard, owner of Hilton Head Island's Kenny B's French Quarter Café (also assisted by his son, Zachary), took first place for "Cuzin Cooter's 'Choot-Em' Gator, Fried Turkey and Swamp Critter Stew," a show-stopper of a soup presented with, among other things, special effects - including Bayou swamp mist and Cajun-style music. Cheese-based "Monte Cristo Chowder," thick with cheese, ham, potatoes and other tasty ingredients, was the second place winner offered by Hilton Head Island's Frankie Bones restaurant. Cooking for the restaurant was Terry Ziff, Sous Chef, with David Chavarria. Also on hand was Gary Caron, General Manager of Wise Guys, part of the Serg Restaurant Group. Representing Captain Woody's Restaurant (locations in Bluffton and Hilton Head Island), Raul Cortes' luscious "Cortes He Crab Soup," was the third-place winner.

The Westin Resort & Spa, serving up a soup entry for "Fried Chicken & Black Pepper Waffle Pimento Cheese" was awarded "Best Presentation" by the VIM Volunteers. Proceeds from the VIM Soup challenge assist in providing free medical care for individuals living or working on Hilton Head and Daufuskie Islands who could not otherwise afford it. For more information about VIM, visit vim.clinic.org.